phone case

Hello! Now that I have an (almost) 18-month-old I thought I’d write a quick post about the everyday products that help me to stop feeling as though I need to claw my face off at the end of a day dealing with work, a breastfed toddler, getting about without a car, and housework.

[NB: This isn’t a sponsored post – although *seductive eyes* if you are a big brand and would like to throw some money my way, I’m not going to say no – I AM DOING THIS OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF MY HEART and definitely not because this blog is shortlisted in the MADS awards for best preschool blog oh god I should have written a blog post about that I probably don’t deserve to win. Although PLEASE VOTE!]

1. DRIBBLE MONSTERS DRIBBLE BIBSHerbie didn’t have teeth for ages, and now he has about eight coming through all at once. To misquote the Stone Roses, he is a waterfall. These wonderful handcrafted dribble bibs, in addition to being amazingly funky, are backed with towelling made from bamboo, which stops the bib from leaking (Herbie gets eczema from dribble rashes…), and gets softer with each wash. I cannot recommend them enough – also, Gem, the lady who makes them, has also branched out into some amazing-looking leggings and dungarees. Check them out!

2. MY GRIFFIN SURVIVOR IPHONE CASEI house my iPhone in a Griffin Survivor Case because Herbie is obsessed with stealing it, saying “Wello? Wabboo wabboo wabboo” into it, and chucking it as hard as he can at things that are made of wood and concrete. But this chunky piece of crap makes sure that my phone sustains no damage whatsoever. I have it in fluoro pink, because I am obnoxious.

3. MY PORTABLE PHONE CHARGERAre you kidding me? I have an ageing iPhone 5S that has been bashed to buggery (before I bought the phone case, I should add), a serious podcast habit, no car, absolutely no sense of direction, and the attention span of a flea, which I have apparently passed on to my son. With the Teletubbies on iPlayer, podcasts and audiobooks to while away the long strolls alongside dual carriageways which make up 70% of my life, and constant checking of Google Maps, my demands from my iPhone outweigh my battery life. A portable charger is essential.

4. A BUGGY-BUMBAGLiterally a sort of bumbag you strap to the top of your pushchair. I fill it with drinks and snacks for Herb and me, plus my charger (obviously), my wallet, lip balm, tissues, etc. I also stick my iPhone in there for long walks in case Herb goes to sleep and I want to listen to an audiobook or podcast. Perfectly placed for earphones. And so reasonably priced! (You can get them for even less on Amazon if you’re not addicted to chevrons like me)

5. A BUGGY STEERING WHEELHerbie is short on patience and loves to twiddle things (ask my boobs) and I’ve been looking for ways to occupy his curious little fingers. I saw a woman pushing a buggy with one of these in Canterbury the other day, and I HUNTED HER DOWN until she told me where she got it. Mothercare, it turns out. The batteries don’t keep the lights or sounds on for more than a week but the buttons still depress and the wheel still goes round, which is all Herbie cares about, really.

6. MY HYDRATEM8 BOTTLEAt 17 months, Herbie and I are still breastfeeding like the clappers; however, my main source of fluids is the endless stream of coffees I drink throughout the day until 7pm, when I switch to wine. Cue the HydtrateM8 bottle – a litre bottle with your allotted ration of water marked off for every hour between 8am and 12pm, then 1pm (when you refill it) till 6pm. It looks good, takes the sting out of staying hydrated, and if you have child’s tastebuds like me you can just dump a shitload of squash in there so it tastes nice. Or gin. Or pills. I don’t care. This is strictly a no-judgement mummyblog.

7. MY PANTONE COFFEE POT
Even though I, in a moment of extreme sleepiness, set it down on the countertop in our rented kitchen, and it burned a hole in the lino, voiding our deposit. Even though, nine times out of 10, I will make myself an instant coffee because it’s quicker. Even though I have let the bottom burn until the paint is all blistered and brown on the base, I still love it. Because it was a present, and because it’s so pretty, and because it’s a shrine to, like, the third most important thing in my life (coffee). I love you, pantone coffee pot. Never leave me.

25th May 2016

About Me

Hello, I'm Robyn and this is my son, Herbie. I'm a writer, Herbie's a baby, and neither of us have any idea what we're doing. Won't you join our misadventures?